Improvement in metallic roof-tiles



J. HILGERS. Metallic Roof-Tiles.

No. 208,819. Patented Oct.8, 1878.

UNITED i STATES PATENT OFFICE:

JACOB HILGERS, 0F RHEINBROHL, PRUSSIA, GERMANY.

IMPROVE-MENT IN METALLIC ROOF-TILES.

Specification forming part of Letters Pat-ent No. 208,819, dated October 8, 1878; application filed April 10, 1878.

To all whom itjmay concern Be it known that I, JACOB HILGERs, of Rheinbrohl, Prussia, Empire of Germany, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Roof-Tiles, of which the following is a specification:

These tiles are principally intended to be made of galvanized iron; but any other material as well as glass may be employed.

With this improved tile an inclination of twenty degrees ot' the root' may besuccessfully covered without any fear that the rainwater might beiforced backward into the jointsby a severe' storm, while the'necessary space is provided for the expansion and contraction of the tiles subject to the varying temperature.

The nature of my invent-iony consists in the providing of a recess or indentation near the lower part, to prevent the forcing back of the water and the bending of the upper edge of the tile; further, in the peculiar manner of attaching the tiles tothe slats of the roofing.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure I represents part of a roof with the tiles attached. Fig. II is a crosssection of the saine.A Fig. I-II shows an enlarged section of the tiles. Fig. IV is a longitudinal section of the tile at the raised part and joints.

Similarlet-ters represent similar parts i-n all the views. 4

A represents the tiles, and B the slats, of the rooting. Each tile is made with two raised parts at each side, ac, and a raised part, b, in the middle. By this arrangement the joints may be broken, whereby never more than three thicknesses will come together at the.'

corners, where the `raised part b covers, in this case, the end raised parts a and c, while in nearly all other constructions, where the vertical joints are formed in the raised parts ou the side edges, four thicknesses of the tiles will come together. Near the lower edges c of the tiles recessesg are made at the under side of the same, forming cavities, in which the water may collect -in case ot' heavy wind or storm striking the roof at a very acute angle, driving the water backward between the joints,

The amount of lap necessary to be given at the joints depends very much onthe incliua- 4 tion of the roof', and experiments made fory that purpose have demonstrated that for very steep roofs the distance from e tof, or the lap necessary, will be about fifty millimeters, while for roofs with little inclination-say about ten degrees-about one hundred millimeters of lap must be given.

In the vspaces between the raised parts a and b and b and cof the tiles I make anormamental raised part, m, which impro ves much thc appearance when nished, and at the saine time strengthens the tiles.

y To allow for the free expansion or contraction of the tiles resulting from the change of temperature, I fasten thetiles to the roof or slats only near their lower ends just labove the lap-joint, whileany change in its 'size in the width of the tile is made possible in the raised parts a and c, where the saine join together, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 3.

At present the usual mode of fastening the tiles is bymeans of wood-screws. This kind of fastening answers very well if done with care, and itl the holes are not bored too large for the screw; but any negligenceisdetrimental, and

is ahnost impossible to detect and to control. This danger from any carelessness of the workman is altogether prevented bv my inode of fastening.

What I claim as my invention, and desireA to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A tile, A, provided at or near its lower inner side with recesses g, and having its upper edge f slightly bent upward, as and for the purpose substantially as set forth.

JACOB IIILGERS.

Witnesses PETER BARTHEL. LeUis BAssF.. 

